Buffered Water Composition for Coffee Brewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing brewing waters for coffee often contain scale-inducing ions like calcium and magnesium, leading to equipment wear and scale build-up, while conventional solutions focusing on these ions fail to produce good-tasting coffee without them.
Innovation Solution
A water composition with a pH of 7.5 to 7.8, containing 145 to 170 mg/L of bicarbonate, less than 25 mg/L of calcium and magnesium, and 30 to 80 mg/L of dihydrogen phosphate, which enhances taste without requiring these ions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If water contains calcium and magnesium ions for good coffee taste, then coffee flavor extraction is improved, but equipment wear and scale build-up increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes calcium and magnesium ions from the water composition entirely, extracting only the essential buffering components (bicarbonate and dihydrogen phosphate) needed for optimal coffee extraction. This eliminates the harmful scale-forming ions while preserving the beneficial pH control functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by eliminating calcium and magnesium ions and instead using a specific ratio of bicarbonate to dihydrogen phosphate (2.5:1 to 5:1) to achieve the desired pH range of 6.8-7.2. This parameter change maintains coffee extraction quality without introducing scale-forming minerals.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If demineralized water is used to avoid scale build-up, then equipment wear is reduced, but coffee taste quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces bicarbonate and dihydrogen phosphate as intermediary substances that mediate between demineralized water and coffee extraction. These buffering agents control pH and enhance extraction without requiring calcium or magnesium ions, thus avoiding scale build-up while maintaining or improving coffee taste quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite water composition by combining demineralized water with specific concentrations of bicarbonate (120-240 mg/L) and dihydrogen phosphate (30-80 mg/L). This composite material provides the buffering capacity and extraction enhancement previously attributed to mineral content without the harmful scale-forming properties.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional filtering systems exchange calcium ions to prevent scale, then scale build-up is reduced, but coffee taste is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of removing calcium ions through filtration as in conventional systems, the patent inverts the approach by starting with demineralized water and adding only the essential buffering agents (bicarbonate and dihydrogen phosphate). This eliminates the need for ion exchange filtration while achieving both scale prevention and optimal coffee taste.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces equipment wear and maintains taste quality, as demonstrated by consumer preference for coffee brewed with this composition over demineralized water.
Implementation Method 1
the way such flavours are perceived in taste is largely dependent on the resulting pH, which among other things controls the protonation of extracted flavours (organic molecules). To control the pH, a suitable buffer, such as bicarbonate (HCO3-) combined with dihydrogen phosphate (H2PO4-)
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to designed water for brewing of coffee. Specifically the designed water of the invention can be used to prepare good-tasting coffee.